The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to apparatus and methods for controlling systemic blood pressure in patients and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to an apparatus and methods for controlling systemic arterial blood pressure fluctuations and preventing intra-ventricular hemorrhage in patients.
Background art includes US patent application No. US20150094755A1 which discloses “a non-invasive cerebral perfusion increasing device including four cuffing pad units and a control unit which is connected to the cuffing pad units and is equipped with a blood pressure sensing module and a compression control module. In the non-invasive cerebral perfusion increasing device each cuffing pad unit respectively includes a compression pad, a compression control member and a blood pressure sensing member. The blood pressure sensing module uses the blood pressure sensing members to sense the systolic blood pressure values of the portions of each of the limbs where they are attached and the compression control module controls the degree of compression of each compression pad by controlling the compression control member to a setting desired by the user based on the sensed blood pressure value, such that the blood flow applied to the limbs is blocked and, indirectly, cerebral perfusion is increased”.
International Patent Application Publication No. WO2017023619A1, which discloses “a wearable system comprises tourniquets. Each of the tourniquets comprises an inflatable chamber, and is configured to occlude blood flow in an artery of a wearer. The wearable system comprises compressed gas sources in fluid communication with the inflatable chamber of the tourniquets. The wearable system comprises valves. Each of the valves comprises an input in fluid communication with one of the compressed gas sources, and an output in fluid communication with the inflatable chamber of one of the tourniquets. The wearable system comprises fixed pressure regulators. Each of the fixed pressure regulators is in fluid communication with the valves, and is configured to regulate a pressure of the compressed gases delivered to the inflatable chamber of at least one of the tourniquets. The wearable system comprises switches. Each of the switches is configured to operate one of the valves”.
International Patent Application Publication No. WO02076306A1, which discloses “a system for delivering external compression in order to stimulate angiogenesis or promote wound healing is provided. External compression causes changes in hemodynamic forces (e.g. shear stress) in the vasculature that are sensed by endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells. The stimulated cells respond by secreting various angiogenic factors and growth factors such as platelet-derived growth factors A and B and basic fibroblast growth factor. The inventive method may be used to treat patient suffering from diseases characterized by low blood flow such as peripheral vascular disease and coronary artery disease. An apparatus for delivering external compression to induce angiogenesis or promote wound healing is also provided”. It involves placing inflatable cuffs on the low half of a patient's body and pressurizing and depressurizing the cuffs out-of-phase with the left ventricle.
US patent application No. US20040147956A1, which discloses “a system and method of controlling the pressure within a pressure cuff of a surgical tourniquet so as selectively to occlude blood flow within a portion of a limb of a patient, wherein a sensor determines when flow past the tourniquet is occurring so that corrective action may be taken, such as by increasing the pressure in the tourniquet or by notifying an operator of the flow past the tourniquet. The present invention may use an acoustic sensor to detect Korotkoff sounds indicating incipient blood flow past the tourniquet. When such signals are detected, the tourniquet controller may either incrementally increase the pressure in the tourniquet, or if a threshold would be exceeded by such an increase, signal an alarm indicative of the blood flow”.
US patent application No. US20090287069A1, which discloses “methods for ischemic conditioning treatments of a chronic medical condition are provided. Baseline disease-related parameters of a patient with a chronic medical condition are measured. Ischemia is induced in the patient by occluding and releasing arterial flow in one or more extremities of the patient. Post-ischemia parameters in the patient are measured. The baseline and post-ischemia parameters are compared to provide an assessment of an ischemic conditioning treatment of a chronic medical condition. The repeated, scheduled delivery of ischemic conditioning provides a beneficial, therapeutic effect on the chronic medical condition. Also provided is a device for pulse oximetry during periods of absent or low pulsatile blood flow including an artificial pulse generator as well as the use of said device in assessment of ischemic conditioning”.
US patent application No. US20150265286A1, which discloses: “DNA damage commonly results from exposure to diagnostic and therapeutic use of ionizing radiation, chemotoxic agents, smoking, diet and even from sedentary lifestyle. It is also a function of aging. Unrepaired DNA damage may result in accelerated aging and various forms of cancers. The invention discloses a method to harness the innate power of repetitive transient ischemia and reperfusion for protecting organs against imminent DNA damage, prevent senescence (aging) and for boosting DNA repair. This method of optimal remote ischemic preconditioning (ORIP) comprises of utilizing a pair of programmable pneumatic cuffs that inflate/deflate alternately occluding blood circulation to each of the limbs for pre-defined time intervals. ORIP can be self-administered and remotely monitored by clinician. ORIP may also be deployed as an adjunct in radiotherapy and chemotherapy for reducing the damage to normal tissue and boosting the treatment efficacy. The apparatus delivers maximal ORIP dose in shortest possible time.”
US patent application No. US20140024986A1, which discloses “a limb compression device to which a cuff unit wound around a limb of a patient is connected controls compression and release of the limb by controlling air supply and exhaust of the cuff unit to repeat an compression period and a reperfusion period a predetermined number of times. At the start of the compression period, pressurization using the cuff unit is performed up to a compression pressure value based on a systolic blood pressure of the patient measured by detection of pulsation. During the compression period, the device repeats depressurization of the cuff unit at a low rate until pulsation is detected and pressurization of the cuff unit after the depressurization so as to eliminate pulsation”.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,828, which discloses “a therapeutic system provides a clinician with an appropriate course of treatment for a patient whose cardiovascular system is operating outside the normal range of values for the left cardiac work index (LCWI) and the systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI). The left cardiac work index and the systemic vascular resistance index are calculated from the cardiac index (CI) and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and are displayed as relative values so that the clinician can readily determine which of the vascular parameters are outside the normal range. Preferably, the cardiac index and the other cardiac parameters are measured by an electrical bio impedance monitor that provides continuous dynamic measurement of the parameters. The left cardiac work index and the systemic vascular resistance index are calculated by a personal computer that displays the calculated parameters in an easily discernible manner”.
US patent application No. US20040111006A1, which discloses “a blood pressure control system regulates blood pressure of a patient. The system includes a pressure sensor that senses blood pressure of a patient, a processor that determines if the blood pressure sensed by the pressure sensor is above a target pressure, and a blood flow regulator that reduces venous return blood flow in response to the processor determining that the sensed blood pressure is above the target pattern. The system may alternatively be employed for acutely reducing blood pressure in response to detected congestive heart failure episodes”.